Welcome to The Woof Life Show - a podcast created for dog lovers, by dog lovers! Hosted by Lauren Farricker creator of Woof Republic the Community Site for Modern Dog Owners. In this episode, Lauren chats with Dan Schachner, the Puppy Bowl Ref and an advocate for rescue. You can follow him on social media: @danschachner. Dan is a talented man who is a producer at Animal Planet, the referee of The Puppy Bowl, the referee of The Dog Bowl, trivia master and rescue advocate. Tune in to watch the Sweet Sixteenth Puppy Bowl on February 2nd with a rivalry for the ages Team Ruff vs. Team Fluff!! -96 Puppies from 61 Shelters Storm the Gridiron in 16th Annual Game- - Dan Schachner Returns for his Ninth Year as PUPPY BOWL Referee- - PUPPY BOWL PRESENTS: THE DOG BOWL III Premieres Sat. Feb. 1 at 8PM -Jonathan and Drew Scott, Whitney Cummings and Emmylou Harris Get in on all the Puppy Bowl XVI and Dog Bowl III Action Please rate, share and subscribe to The Woof Life Show!

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Henry Friedman. Henry is a part of Team Dogist and has one of the most incredible adoption stories that we’ve heard in a long time. For Henry a chance encounter mixed with fate allowed him to adopt an incredibly special pup who was born in a bush in Puerto Rico. This puppy along with his mother and siblings were rescued by The Sato Project and he was transported to the US. Henry found in Finn a partner in crime and a companion for adventure. They’ve traveled all over the US and Canada exploring, meeting people and helping rescue pups. Henry has a huge passion after his life was so changed by a rescue dog and has created a Patreon giving back each month to rescues that you’ve never heard of. We love what this dynamic duo is doing and we want to support their cause!

Woof Life Show got to catch up with the women behind an incredible non-profit called Pearls for Pups. Jenna, Paige and Bekki are a mother and daughters trio who wanted to take their passion and desire to support and help rescue pups so they created Pearls for Pups!! They want to encourage you to adopt an F'ing dog!! :)

A Conversation with two very powerful women: J.J. Rawlinson, DVM who is the Senior Manager, Community Partnerships and Welfare Initiatives and Misty Espinoza Marketing and Communications Manager who both work at the Wallis Annenberg Petspace. We discuss the realities of rescuing a dog and celebrating Adopt a Senior Pet month.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Kelly Pratt Kreidich who is one of the photographers and co-creators of Dancers and Dogs. They've spent the past couple of years traveling around the US meeting with some of the most professional ballet and dance companies and pairing them with dogs to create some extraordinary photos! 

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Niels Skou who is a major puppy lover and the creator of Puppies Make Me Happy. Skou shares the story of how a funny shirt, a dream to create hearing aids for deaf dogs and puppies created the perfect storm that dared him to dream to create Puppies Make Me Happy.  Puppies Make Me Happy sells a clothing and accessory line that makes you smile and gives back to rescue pups in need. They feature fashionable clothing made and designed in the US and designed in LA. When wearing their shirts, I've been stopped in airports, grocery stores and when walking down the street to ask you where did you get this?

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Dianne Scott  who is a pitbull dog mom and a breed advocate. She’s also the Content Creator behind Tale of Two Pitties @aTaleOf2Pitties and the web series @mayorroo. Dianne is an actress, advocate, stepmother, writer and someone who just plain makes us laugh. When she adopted a pitbull named Hurley her life was forever changed. She went from someone who was afraid of pitbulls and under the assumption that they were dangerous pups that were not safe in a home to the biggest pitbull lover around. However, she quickly noticed how she was perceived and treated because of her pup.  She adopted another pitbull mix and created an Instagram for the duo as dog moms do.  They were even featured on the Ellen show!!! Dianne took her unbridled love for pitbulls and created a brand and community of animal-lovers they wrote a children’s book series, created a clothing line, and a YouTube series. When Hurley was diagnosed with Lymphoma, she was shattered and when he eventually passed away she was devastated.  She wrote a book about it “Hurley Goes To Heaven” to help children cope with the loss of their pets. She’s gone on to create so much fun content that makes me laugh out loud mostly in public places. She believes that showing pitbulls as goofballs helps to change the perception of them as vicious creatures who are capable of hurting people so her content is aimed to demystify and educate people on the truth behind the pitbull Breed. We are a big fan of Dianne and her mission!

In this BONUS EPISODE of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Dayna Hilton who is a dog mom and the Executive Director at Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation. Molly is the ambassador for the IMAX movie centered around pups doing incredible work titled, Superpower Dogs. Molly and Dayna have been able to meet children and travel around the nation educating on their mission of educating on fire safety.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Dayna Hilton who is a dog mom and the Executive Director at Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation. Molly the Fire Safety Dog doesn’t leave her duties in the firehouse. Molly and her human companion, Dayna, have taken Molly’s skills into schools all across the world, educating kids and parents about the essentials of fire safety. Molly is the ambassador for the IMAX movie centered around pups doing incredible work titled, Superpower Dogs. Molly and Dayna have been able to meet children and travel around the nation educating on their mission of educating on fire safety. She's also a 5x Hero Dog nominee.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Michelle Sathe who is a dog mom and the Public Relations Manager of Best Friends Animal Society. We talk about the realities and the state of the union for rescue animals in the US. In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Michelle Sathe who is a dog mom and the Public Relations Manager of Best Friends Animal Society. We talk about the realities and the state of the union for rescue animals in the US. Best Friends Animal Society, founded in its present form in 1993, is an American nonprofit 501 animal welfare organization. The group does outreach nationwide with shelters, rescue groups and members to promote pet adoption, no-kill animal rescue, and spay-and-neuter practices. They have life saving centers across the US and are growing aggressively to support and help homeless dogs. Best Friends has set a goal to be No-Kill for Cats and Dogs in America’s Shelters by 2025 You believe that animals deserve compassion and good quality of life. You also love your community and want to take action for the pets and people in it. Here’s how. Last year, about 733,000 dogs and cats were killed in our nation’s animal shelters, simply because they didn’t have safe places to call home. Together, we can change that and achieve no-kill for dogs and cats nationwide by 2025. You can follow them at @bestfriendsanimalsociety on Instagram. Best Friends does fundraising events throughout the year including their nationwide event called Strut your Mutt. You can donate and support the rescue and animal advocacy efforts of Best Friends here. Enjoy our conversation with Michelle from Best Friends Animal Society - Please rate subscribe, share and with your pup loving friends and consider adopting for your next pup!

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Elizabeth “Beth” Bellanti who is the Program Manager of Vodka for Dog People on behalf of Tito’s Handmade Vodka.    If you're looking for a vodka label that also supports dog welfare, look no further than Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Tito’s Handmade Vodka has created Vodka for Dog People, which is their organization that supports dog rescue, animal welfare organizations, and spay neuter programs across America.  Looking out for dogs, in particular, has been at the core of Tito’s mission over the past 20 years. Bertito "Tito" Beveridge II first started distilling his now famous vodka in a shack in Austin, Texas.   Tito always brought his dog with him to the shack to work all day, where he would put food out and noticed that a handful of strays were being attracted by the food.  Tito was struggling to get his business off the ground but he didn't let that stop him from caring for homeless dogs.  He then worked to get as many dogs re-homed as possible.     Beth joined Tito early on within his journey and because she came from a family where they were all rescuers. Beth worked with Tito and the staff to rescue, re-home and get necessary vet care for the pups including spay and neuter surgeries.  Dogs and animal advocacy are intrinsically aligned with success for the Tito’s brand.   Over the past 20 years, Tito’s Handmade Vodka has re-homed over 90 dogs out of their corporate headquarters/distillery. Vodka for Dog People has over 2300 partnerships per year with animal welfare programs. Tito’s Handmade Vodka continues to be a dog-friendly company that is committed to solving for animals in needs, including resources to spay and neuter.   You can shop at https://www.titosvodka.com/dogs/ to get great products for your pup and to support Vodka for Dog People’s philanthropic goals.  All net proceeds from our web store benefit the nonprofits that Vodka for Dog People support.   You can follow them at @vodkafordogpeople on Instagram.   Enjoy our conversation with Beth from Tito’s Handmade Vodka - drink vodka and help dogs, thats our motto!

  In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker has a conversation with Matt Beisner of  Zen Dog in LA and the star of Nat Geo Wild’s Dog Impossible Show   Note to my listeners, I am obsessed with Dog Impossible and I am so excited to chat with Matt to learn more about the show.   Beisner, owner of THE ZEN DOG http://www.thezendog.com, a cutting-edge dog facility in downtown Los Angeles, believes there are no bad dogs and knows every dog is capable of transformation. Through his work at THE ZEN DOG, Beisner risks his life and limbs for these animals because, as he says, “I used to be like them.”  After his own life was saved through personal transformation, he rescued a dog, found his calling and came to understand that every relationship, especially that which you have with your dog, only works if it’s based on Respect, Trust and Love.   Beisner’s background makes him a fascinating person to chat with, Matt previously struggled with substance abuse and he found himself in jail. While recovering after getting out of jail, Beisner was challenged by an aggressive terrier who was owned by his roommate. That terrier named Kingston proved to be a turning point for him and his transformation. Beisner began to work with this dog and then began to tackle more cases, this was the inception of Zen Dog. Beisner experienced a quick rise to stardom when a celebrity client leveraged Beisner to help with a dog that they were struggling with. His approach that there are no bad dogs make him a final contact for a lot of people who find themselves at their wit’s end.   Beisner brings a unique and gentle approach to building relationships with each pet. “I’m a teacher at heart,” states Beisner. “Helping hopeless dogs is my purpose.”  Catch up on Dog Impossible on streaming platforms and enjoy this conversation which includes a deep-dive into the case covered in the show.  

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Lori Wells who is the dog mom and handler of Piglet who won the 2019 Search & Rescue Hero Dog.   But there’s another “Piglet” in town: an eight-year-old Catahoula Leopard Dog. This Piglet, a veteran search and rescue dog, is trained and certified to help families in arduous times. Nothing could have prepared Piglet and handler Lori Wells for the inconceivable conditions on a recent deployment. Called to aid in the aftermath of the horrific “Camp Fire” in Paradise, California, this little dog deployed to do all she could to help. Piglet provides a vital service. The value of her work in bringing answers to grieving families is immeasurable.   She assists in locating people on land and in water. Once, human searchers spent seven days combing a lake with no luck. On day eight, Piglet deployed and located the subject. She helped the coroner by locating enough bones to reconstruct and positively identify the individual. Lori and Piglet donate hundreds of volunteer hours annually and depart for each call-out with enthusiasm. Traveling thousands of miles a year does not diminish Piglet’s bubbly personality and happy-go-lucky attitude. In her off-hours, she loves making friends. At events she’s always a crowd-pleaser with a wagging tail, signature “smile,” and endless kisses.   The 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards® will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on October 21st at 8pm ET/ PT. The event was hosted by Beth Stern and James Denton and presenters included Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty, Trevor Donovan, Danielle Fishel, Vivica A. Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jenna Johnson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ally Maki, Larissa Wohl, Cameron Mathison, Debbie Matenopoulo, Kristoffer Polaha, Brandon McMillan, Barbara Niven, Roselyn Sanchez, Ariel Winter, Eric Winter, and Sofia Wylie.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Dawn Rudolph who is the dog mom and handler of Leader Dog Lady who won the 2019 Hero Guide Dog Award.   Dawn Rudolph is legally blind and Leader Dog Lady is her guide dog. Dawn shares with The Woof Life show how much her world has changed so much since Lady came into her life. Leader Dogs are the eyes to support their handler and are trained like a Secret Service Agent to put their own life in danger before harm could come to their handler.   Leader Dog Lady’s life started in a peculiar way, she lived for the first year of her life with an inmate in Iowa named Kevin. Kevin worked diligently to train her with other inmates as a part of the program through Leader Dogs for the Blind. Interestingly the long-term success rate of pups trained in prisons is better for placement as a lead dog as compared to other training programs.   Since Lady came into Dawn’s life, her world has been vastly improved: they travel, they set goals, and conquer challenges like everyone else.  Friends and family always ask them Leader Dog Lady what their upcoming adventures will be. They educate people about Leader Dogs for the Blind, go to Lions Club conventions to promote Leader Dogs for the Blind. We attend big events and fundraisers for this wonderful organization. July will be their four-year anniversary as a team. What a beautiful partnership and it’s so incredible to hear about the impact that a dog has on someone’s quality of life. The 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards® will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on October 21st at 8pm ET/ PT. The event was hosted by Beth Stern and James Denton and presenters included Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty, Trevor Donovan, Danielle Fishel, Vivica A. Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jenna Johnson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ally Maki, Larissa Wohl, Cameron Mathison, Debbie Matenopoulo, Kristoffer Polaha, Brandon McMillan, Barbara Niven, Roselyn Sanchez, Ariel Winter, Eric Winter, and Sofia Wylie.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Caroline Zuendel who is the dog mom and handler of Sergeant Yeager who won the 2019 Military Hero Dog Award.    Sergeant Yeager honorably performed combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Improvised Explosive Detection Dog with the United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Yeager has been credited with detecting the locations of dozens of explosive devices. During his three combat tours, Sgt. Yeager participated in over 100 patrols, and was tasked with clearing routes for his fellow Marines. On April 12, 2012, Sgt. Yeager suffered shrapnel wounds from an IED that caused him to lose part of his ear.   He was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries. Unfortunately, the same explosion took the life of his handler, Lance Corporal Abraham Tarwoe. The pair was virtuously trying to protect the other Marines in the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. Fellow Marines attest to the unbreakable bond between Tarwoe and Sgt. Yeager. After the attack, Sgt. Yeager was transported back to the U.S. and treated for his injuries until he was stable enough to retire from the USMC. Lance Corporal Tarwoe’s widow was unable to adopt Sgt. Yeager as she would now be raising their infant son alone. Sgt. Yeager was adopted by another Marine Corps family. Today, at 12 years of age, Sgt. Yeager is beginning to show signs of aging, though his spirit is undiminished. Despite his trials and witnessing acts of terrorism, Yeager remains a sweet dog with an infinitely joyful disposition. He has settled in North Carolina with his family, where he is an ambassador for the Project K-9 Hero Foundation, which pays 100% of his medical bills from his sustained injuries. In September of 2019, Sgt. Yeager also received the Medal of Courage Award!   The 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards® will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on October 21st at 8pm ET/ PT. The event was hosted by Beth Stern and James Denton and presenters included Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty, Trevor Donovan, Danielle Fishel, Vivica A. Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jenna Johnson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ally Maki, Larissa Wohl, Cameron Mathison, Debbie Matenopoulo, Kristoffer Polaha, Brandon McMillan, Barbara Niven, Roselyn Sanchez, Ariel Winter, Eric Winter, and Sofia Wylie.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Anna Barbosa who is the dog mom and handler of Gus who won the Shelter Hero Dog Award. The Woof Life also got the honor of interviewing Anna who rescued and helped Gus who was discovered as a homeless dog on the streets of Houston who had suffered abuse at the hands of humans.   Gus was seen by a rescuer on the road with a head so swollen that he looked like a seal as opposed to a dog. Someone had tied a shoelace around his neck which caused his entire head to swell. He required extensive medical care and a long journey of healing. Once Gus was in better health and could be adopted, Anna who worked for the rescue realized that this boy had stolen her heart.   Gus is a poster child and an advocate for the crisis of homeless animals in Houston as well as an advocate for shelter dogs who have suffered at the hands of humans and suffered from animal abuse.   The 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards® will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on October 21st at 8pm ET/ PT. The event was hosted by Beth Stern and James Denton and presenters included Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty, Trevor Donovan, Danielle Fishel, Vivica A. Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jenna Johnson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ally Maki, Larissa Wohl, Cameron Mathison, Debbie Matenopoulo, Kristoffer Polaha, Brandon McMillan, Barbara Niven, Roselyn Sanchez, Ariel Winter, Eric Winter, and Sofia Wylie.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Tara Murillo who is the dog mom and handler of Alice who won the Service Hero Dog Award. The Woof Life also got the honor of interviewing Sheriff’s Deputy John Forlenza who is the handler to Dax the Hero dog winner of the Law Enforcement/ Arson category.      Tara Murillo and her family were victims of senseless gun violence which changed their life in an instant. In 2015, Antonio was a normal, playful nine-year old who loved soccer and his friends. Then, on a normal day, while riding in the back of his parents’ SUV with his younger brothers on the way to a family dinner, a man fired three to five bullets into their car and shot him in the head. Since that day Antonio has been fighting the battle of a lifetime. He spent 18 days in a coma and has endured five brain surgeries.   Antonio not only battles seizures, but migraines, balance issues, spells and more. In October of 2016, Antonio was paired with his service dog, Alice, from Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs in Florida. His mom, Tara, says, “Alice is a hero in our eyes, because without her, Antonio would not be able to do the simple things in life that we take for granted.”   We then get an opportunity to chat with John Forlenza who is the handler to Dax.   Dax began his successful career with the Lake County (IL) Sheriff’s Office almost four years ago. He has been directly responsible for tracking and successfully apprehending over 70 suspects. Dax has also been accountable for tracking and finding dozens of missing or endangered children and adults. Dax has been used for over 100 narcotic searches resulting in the seizure of over 17 kilos of cocaine, heroin and other narcotics, hundreds of pounds of cannabis, approximately three quarters of a million dollars in currency, dozens of firearms, and vehicles.   Dax’s tireless drive, dedication to training, love for police work, and incredible success stories have gained him thousands of supporters from across the country. Dax has proven to be an outstanding K9 hero!   The 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards® will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on October 21st at 8pm ET/ PT. The event was hosted by Beth Stern and James Denton and presenters included Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty, Trevor Donovan, Danielle Fishel, Vivica A. Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jenna Johnson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ally Maki, Larissa Wohl, Cameron Mathison, Debbie Matenopoulo, Kristoffer Polaha, Brandon McMillan, Barbara Niven, Roselyn Sanchez, Ariel Winter, Eric Winter, and Sofia Wylie.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Lydia Crochet who is the handler and dog mom to Jeanie to 3-Legged Therapy Dog who won The 2019 Therapy Hero Dog Award at the Hero Dog Awards.    Jeanie is a rescue that was found with a crippled leg running with a pack of dogs in Louisiana. She had a crippled leg which a vet quickly determined needed to be amputated. She was put up for adoption while she was healing and recovering from surgery.  Lydia took one look at her and it was love at first sight.   Jeanie has acted as a certified therapy dog for both her family and for so many people. They work to visit veterans, help children coping with loss and/or traumatic experiences, speaking to children and generally bringing joy wherever they go!   Jeanie has been honored by the Hero Dog Awards because she gives love and comfort to those who need it most. She will pick the person out of the room who needs the most help and approach them. Lydia and Jeanie aim to inspire other counseling, advocacy and law enforcement agencies to consider the benefits of therapy dogs like her.   The 9th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards® will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on October 21st at 8pm ET/ PT. The event was hosted by Beth Stern and James Denton and presenters included Kristin Chenoweth, Shannen Doherty, Trevor Donovan, Danielle Fishel, Vivica A. Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jenna Johnson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ally Maki, Larissa Wohl, Cameron Mathison, Debbie Matenopoulo, Kristoffer Polaha, Brandon McMillan, Barbara Niven, Roselyn Sanchez, Ariel Winter, Eric Winter, and Sofia Wylie.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Tina Kim who is the Dog Mom and Momager (watch out Kris Jenner) to Winston the White Corgi. You can follow their adventures on social media @winstonthewhitecorgi   Tina shares about their lives and what it is like to be the Mom of one of the most influential dogs in the world. Winston is the epitome of sass, humor, positivity and giving you any excuse to smile. We had to ask about the perks of being a momager and hear about all of their fabulous experiences and friends that they make.   Tina gives us advice because Winston is known for breaking the internet with his Halloween costumes, we wanted to get advice from the pro's.    I'm soy into Winston   Please look after this bear   Blessed be the Floof Please rate and subscribe The Woof Life Show and share with your pooch loving friends.

In this episode of The Woof Life Show the podcast for dog lovers, Lauren Farricker chats with Emily Giambalvo, who is a writer at The Washington Post. She recently published an incredibly important article highlighting the impact that Michael Vick's dogs so many years later. The exposure of that dogfighting ring at the helm of such a public figure changed everyone's lives but most importantly, the pups' lives. These Pitbulls were victims of one of the most if not the most public dogfighting ring exposures ever. Washington Post Cover story here Emily, the author, is a passionate animal lover and wanted to tell the story from her POV. She worked tirelessly and researched over months to learn about each of the lives that those pups went on to live.  These pups were saved, and their ownership was turned over to organizations such as Best Friend's Animal Society, BADRAP, Recycled Love, Out of the Pits and various local SPCA and other animal rescue organizations where they were rehabilitated before they could be adopted into homes. Those 47 dogs had scars that stuck with them both visible and invisible, however, the impact of these pups is that it moved the needle on how these dogfighting seizures would be managed in the future. Having such a high profile case with an NFL player put these dogs on the center stage. Emily worked to ensure that she learned about each of these pups giving this article emotional weight that sticks with you! Enjoy this incredible interview!  Please rate, share and subscribe to The Woof Life Show!